Not Without You
by WriterDelighter
Summary: Another battle at the Doors of Death. Thanatos has been captured once more, but the Seven are sure they'll win this time. And yes, they may have won, but for a certain Wise Girl, she might as well have lost. Annabeth POV One-shot (Most Likely)


-Not Without You-

* * *

It was a rough battle, not only because of the enemies, but because of the location. We were back at the Doors of Death, a very reprehensible location to say the least. Thanatos had been (yet again) captured, but it was apparent that they'd neglected to carry him far from where he resided.

That being said, this was no doubt because the enemies' plan had been thwarted. They were trying to recreated the chaotic events of last year, to keep their forces strong. This, I did not understand. Why in Hades would they try to keep fighting when the thing they'd been fighting for was gone?

It was quite obvious that I wasn't the only one perplexed by the tenacity of these monsters. Piper, who stood closest to the doors, was confused as to what she should be guarding. Thanatos… or the doors. The daughter of beauty nonetheless continued to fight with increasing strength, monsters surrounding her in a crescent-like shape.

I had to help her, but looking at my own situation, I was a bit preoccupied. Sure, maybe I didn't have as many monsters on me, but the ones I did have were not the facile type. For one, a few pythons were to the left of me, and every couple seconds, I'd have to pull my legs a certain way to avoid them. Then, a monster I'd never seen before, nor knew the name of, came in through the right.

Unlike most monsters, its lower half was human, straight down to the ragged toenails displayed on its feet. The upper half, however, was made of a leather type material, similar to that of a cow. It had arms twice the length of a normal human's, and I knew that would be my biggest challenge.

Surprisingly, it wielded two swords; one with a spear-like point at the end of the sharp blade, the other, a stygian-iron sword that I could swear was even darker than Nico's.

It came at me with both swords crossed, and I had to think fast. A dagger was not exactly ideal in this scenario, and so I decided to play my strategy card. Dodging the cowardly pythons, I feinted left, running to the unprotected back. Wielding the dagger, I had my moment to strike, but what caught my right eye was distracting. No, not distracting.

Horrifying.

I could see that Piper had advanced on to the next line of monsters, yet instead of pushing forward, she was moving to the left, obviously frantic.

When I saw why; well, that was the terrifying part. Percy was not only battling the Minotaur (yet _AGAIN_ ), but he was also dodging attacks from what looked like a hoard of monsters who seemed very closely related to the one I was fighting.

He… wasn't holding up very well. I could see a gash on his leg, and he couldn't put much weight on it. Not only that, but half his shirt was ripped, and an angry, bleeding line lay below the edge of the tattered fabric. I knew I had to help, but in the half-second it took to process the information I had taken in, the crazy half-cow monster that I was trying to kill swung its arms behind it without even turning.

I rolled sideways, but the spear/sword caught the end of my sleeve, nicking a place in my shoulder. It wouldn't have hurt too bad, but considering I was bleeding more brown than red, I figured it was poisoned, and my arm knew that too. My right arm hung limp on my side as I pulled myself up.

 _No time for pain, no time for pain._

The leathery monster turned around, its mouth stretching into a smile. I couldn't see a visible opening this time around. The pythons were closing in, but they didn't seem like much of a threat in comparison to the… _thing_ she was facing now. Yet I still decided to do something I'd regret later.

I threw my dagger straight at a pair of intertwined pythons, killing them both. I mentally slapped myself. That was my only weapon!

I looked up just in time to see a long hand grab my bad shoulder, the other reaching for my neck. I tried to swing the hand off, tried to do another maneuver, but the grip was _strong_. Before I knew it, I was hoisted in the air by my neck and arm. I could barely breath, and spots were dancing around my eyes, but I could see the picture I'd just seen a second ago. Piper was almost to Percy, but Percy didn't seem like he could hold up for too much longer.

The worst part was when Percy looked up. His green eyes were shrouded in pain, but they were soon covered in worry. "Annabeth!" He shouted, seeing my particular situation. I saw a determination in his eyes, and I tried to plead with him to not worry.

He gave a loud grunt, swinging _Riptide_ in a wide 360 arch. In doing so, he created a small opening in the side, which I could detect the moment he did. The negative, though, was that he'd let his guard down, the minotaur getting ready to dash.

That was the moment my head was forced to turn and look at the wrinkly, snarled face of my captor. It was its fatal mistake. Using the strength I could muster, I swung myself forward, kicking the cow-man in the face. The grip was loosened just enough for me to be able to wrench myself out of its hands. I landed on the ground, feet first. As I was catching my breath, I flew behind the stunned monster, grabbing the dagger, and I plunged it straight into its back.

 _Good riddance_. I thought.

The howls of the monster were intertwined with another scream. I recognized it was Hazel's. I looked her direction, and Hazel was dashing toward-

-Percy! How could I forget? I dashed the same way, not even giving myself a glimpse of the melting monster behind me.

I could see clearer now. Percy was looking straight at me, a look I couldn't quite place that was plastered on his face. He started to run away, but the minotaur had taken on speed and was inches away from his unguarded back.

"No!"

I underestimated Percy. He must've known what the minotaur was doing, because the moment the bull lunged for Percy, he strafed to the side. Hazel breathed a sigh of relief, and so did I. She ran over to Piper, helping her finish off the last of the monsters she was plagued with, along with the remaining cow-men who had joined the fight with Piper's monsters, not wanting to take another blow from Percy.

I looked back to Percy, who's eyes were still trained on the minotaur. The beast had only just turned around, his eyes swimming with enough hate to combat Ares. Because of the position it charged, it was nearest to me. Percy was in a running position, daring the monster to come after him again.

But he didn't. The minotaur's eyes took a menacing look as he turned my direction.

Percy sprinted the moment the minotaur barreled after me. Everything was in slow-motion, and my legs felt like lead. I willed them to move, but they weren't going fast enough.

What happened next, I could barely explain. The minotaur was a foot away from me when a zooming figure knocked it off course. Percy.

Everything moved normal yet again. How in Tartarus did he do that?

Whatever he did, it took a lot out of him. He held onto the minotaur's horns for his life, but his grip was loosening.

The next thing he did surprised me yet again. Having both horns in each of his hands, he swung around, now dangling in the monster's face.

"Don't… mess… with Annabeth." Percy's voice was dangerously serious. His eyes were glazed in a certain, terrible emotion. He wanted to kill this thing. To make it suffer.

 _Just like he did with Nyx._

I shook my head, the image clearing from my mind. Percy seemed to do the same. He let go of one of the horns, holding the other in a death grip as he took out Riptide. The only problem with his plan was that he was more vulnerable to getting jolted around, holding onto only one of the bull's horns.

The minotaur bucked Percy off, sending him flying about ten feet in the air.

I ran toward him as he fell, the short distance leaving him winded as he hit the ground. His breathing was heavy, and it looked like his stomach wound had opened up more.

Yet he stood up once more, albeit a good bit off-balance. "No, no…. stay there," I warned him quietly. _I'd find a way to defeat the beast myself if I had to._

"No." Percy replied, his words slightly slurred. "You need to go." His eyes flashed to the figure about a few dozen yards way. The silhouette grew. "NOW!" He yelled, urgently.

So of course I stood there continuing to be an idiot as he pushed me away, once again latching onto the minotaur's horns from behind without flipping into the monster's gaze. He was wildly draped on his back.

I could see the rest of the seven finishing up the final stages of their battle, no doubt hurrying at the sight of the predicament Percy and I were in. Thanatos was being released by Jason.

I turned back to Percy, trying to chase after the bucking minotaur. I knew the son of Poseidon was not going to make the same mistake again, but that still meant he was unarmed. _If only I could find a place to stab the half- armored bull without getting in his line of sight._

Every time the minotaur reached back, his breastplate revealed a vital area.

 _Gotcha_.

I readied my dagger, and as the minotaur grabbed at the back of his head to reach the squirming Percy, I took advantage of his distraction, just as the cow-whatever-thing took advantage of mine. I plunged the dagger into the side of the minotaur, and in return, got a ear-deafening howl.

I thought we'd gained the upperhand. I thought I helped.

But I was never any more of an idiot than I was at that moment.

You see, Percy being the valiant moron that he was, yanked hard on the minotaur's horn, snapping it off with an extremely jagged break. This happened the exact moment I used my dagger, and in reflex, instead of falling to the side or forward, the minotaur fell backward _because_ of my blow to the front.

Just like every terrible moment in my life, time slowed once more as I saw the event unfold.

Percy's grip on the one horn betrayed him, and he fell backwards, right into the path of the toppling beast. "Shoot!" I yelled, my eyes surveying any possible way of help. But as the time dwindled, so did my choices, until I was left standing amidst the scene.

I'd realize later that what felt like an eternity lasted about half a second.

The mighty minotaur collapsed over Percy Jackson.

My continuing screams mixed with the shouts of the others, and eventually, the scream of my own best friend, hidden beneath a huge carpet of meat.

 _No. No, no.. NO! He has to be okay, he HAS to!_

That was when I noticed I heard another scream… no, a roar. The minotaur's eyes widened further as his body began to disintegrate.

It revealed Percy's figure, beaten up and bloodied.

The horn he'd broken was covered in monster blood, which must've killed the beast, but the jagged edge that he snapped off was imbedded in his stomach.

 _No…_

His form lay almost lifeless, but the one thing I noticed that still carried spirit were his eyes.

I ran forward, forcing myself not to take the horn out as medical advice flooded my mind. Stop the flow. _Not him, not him!_ Stabilize. _Oh no…_ Clean up. _This isn't happening..._ Taking out the horn can do more damage and… _and…_

I fell to my knees.

Feeling hands on my back. Warm, gentle hands. _Percy?_ Looking behind me, I saw Leo, his eyes swimming with a certain fear I couldn't comprehend.

Several hands reached out in front of me, in front of _him_.

 _Please. PLEASE. Please. Ple-_

"Annie."

It was Percy. _He's okay! He's… he's.._

Dying. She knew it. She didn't have to be a son of Hades to know that.

"Listen… Annab-" He coughed out, realizing had to get to his point quickly. "I… you're going to have a good life…" I didn't know when my tears would start, and my eyes yearned for the relief of moisture that I was determined not to give them.

"No.. NO. Not without y-you." I choked out.

Percy's eyes shimmered, and he weakly lifted his hand, grasping my dangling curls.

"You'll be the best architect… you-you'll find happiness.." I shook my head, repeating the the same words I'd just said. "Not without you… Never." A few more hands around Percy and I.

"You'll… you'll even find someone. Someone who-" He coughed up blood. "Someo-one who will love my Wise Girl." I ripped out patches of weeds that surrounded me. "Don't leave me. I swear… you'll… you'll be okay, just… just hang on!"

He gave a small chuckle, his eyes brightening. They swam with love and guilt. "I'm… sorry."

 _Why would he say sorry? I_ KILLED _him. He's dead, he's dead…. He's still saying sorry- it's my fault. It-should've-been-me-it-was-supposed-to-be-me!_

That was when I held his head, kissing him with all I had. I opened my eyes and he did the same.

* * *

They say as a person dies, their eyes grow dim. That's untrue. As I stared at his beguiling sea-filled eyes, they shone the most I'd ever seen. They reflected our lives.

A proposal. A wedding. Buying a home. Kids. Family. Growing old.

 _Together._

Not anymore. It should've been us. We were supposed to finally get a happy ending.

That was when my eyes poured with tears, falling down his scarred face. "I… love you." His mouth quivered slightly. His breathing slowed immensely. I was being held by someone. Hugged.

Percy gave his classic mischievous smile.

"Move on. Without me…" His grip lessened. "Know that I'll always love you. I'll wait for you, but you need to move on. Promise me." I couldn't say anything. I just shook my head. My throat burned like lava.

He fell limp, but his eyes remained open. He stopped breathing. _Stay with me. Stay here… please. I need you._

 _No._

 _He could've had a life… if he'd just let me save him on my own. He would've had a life, better than mine, that was for sure._

I sobbed, but I swear I heard one last whisper.

"Not without you."


End file.
